Maribor stories: Under the bridge

Among those who were happiest with the erection of the Old Bridge (also called Franz Josef Bridge, State and Main Bridge) were undoubtedly coachmen (»furmans«). The previous wooden bridge and the steep incline up the windy Dravska Street (Dravska ulica) were a bottle neck on the main road between Vienna and Trieste. The new one was ceremoniously opened on 23 August 1913 in the presence of the Austrian Arch-Duke Friedrich.

Since then, the bridge has had an eventful history. In April 1941 it was even destroyed by the retreating Yugoslavian army to fend off the Germans. However, some of the most tragic stories were written under the bridge. Its stone arches have often provided shelter to the homeless and even to entire families that had been left without everything.

"In the first month of dwelling under the bridge the weather was fortunately mostly favourable with minor exceptions, but in their second month the family camping there had to weather several bad storms. Lightning cut through the dark night sky, thunder echoed terrifyingly under the bridge arches, water rushed right past the piles of furniture, and the people trying to find shelter in even the most remote corners by the walls and under the canvas got soaked by the rain storm. Did the wealthy and those who claim to care for the community think what they would feel like if it had been them or their children having to shelter somewhere under the bridge? The already fragile health of those camping under the bridge deteriorated even further,« reported the Mariborski večernik Jutra on 22 August 1927.